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History in
a Pecan Shell
The
town was named after Col. Isaac T. Pryor, who owned a large ranch
here in the 1880s. Pryor split his 30,000 acres into 20-160 acre farms.
The Crystal City and Uvalde Railway constructed a depot, and cattle-loading
platform and prospective buyers were recruited from all over the U.S.
An experimental farm south of town displayed the variety of produce
that could be grown here and indeed, new residents sold their northern
holdings and moved to La Pryor.
A post office was granted in 1910, the three story Nueces Hotel opened
and the La Pryor High School was built in 1912. By 1914 - 500 people
called La Pryor home. In the 1920s, Kate Stout made county history
when she became the first woman to hold an elected office (county
treasurer).
Herds of wild donkeys reportedly visited the town during droughts
of the 1930s and natural gas was discovered around that same time.
The population was roughly two-thirds Anglo-American and one-third
Mexican-American. By 1946 the population was estimated at 500 and
remained there throughout the 1950s. By 1966 it had more than doubled
to an estimated 1,100 people. In 1969 the last sizable herd of cattle
(800 steers) was shipped from La Pryor, ending large scale ranching.
By 1970, the population was back to 550.
A new high school was built in 1977 and the population has remained
at 550 throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It has since increased to the
present 1,643.
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
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